Concord Times (Freetown)
Mohamed Vandi
27 June 2009
Kenema — Acting registrar of the pharmacy board of Sierra Leone has disclosed during a well attended meeting of stakeholders at the district council hall in Kenema that 99% percent of drugs coming into the country from neighboring Guinea were counterfeit.
Wiltshire C.N. Johnson said the circulation of these counterfeit drugs in the country has become a concern which his board was in readiness to confront.
He said drugs dealers most times traffic fake products through the porous borders along Kailahun and Kono where the presence of security personnel was not visible
Johnson said the purpose of the stakeholders' meeting was to intimate members about the activities of the board and to also explain the responsibilities of the respective heads of institutions and departments in the fight against drug peddling in the eastern region.
He called on the authorities to always report cases of fake drugs to the board or the police so that immediate and appropriate actions can be taken.
"All of these counterfeit drugs are produced by western countries because we do not have any manufacturer of medicine in this country. We need to join forces and say no to drug dealers whose interest is to make huge profit at the detriment of the health of the citizens of this country," he urged, noting that in the past few months most fake drugs stores and pharmacies have been closed down for failing to meet the regulations of the board.
Johnson further disclosed that ninety percent (90%) of drugs imported into this country by non-governmental organizations are sold out to the people; a situation he condemned as it was a breach of their mandate of operation.
He said these agencies import their drugs on duty free concession with the understanding that they are to be given out free.
He pleaded with religious leaders to support the campaign against the smuggling, importation and peddling of fake and dangerous drugs into the country.
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